TRENCHLESS | UTILITIES


equipped with seven empty cable ducts and finally backfilled with liquid soil. Cable installation takes place after completion. Construction of the first tunnel began in July 2025.


The second tunnel followed in mid-October. “In the first bore, we drove nearly 300 metres


through clay, which slowed down our advance speed, of course,” says Florian Klatt, Site Manager at I.CO.P. Nevertheless, the very tight schedule was met. For


the second tunnel, the construction schedule allowed 66 days; here, too, despite numerous geological challenges, the drive was completed significantly ahead of schedule thanks to the use of proprietary technology. “Such performance depends on close cooperation


between client and contractor, the team on site, and the capabilities of machinery and materials,” explains Klatt. “Everything worked perfectly here.” The Verden site was used by VMT to deploy the


newly developed TunnelHub communication platform under real construction conditions for the first time. “In May, we estimated that the system would be


ready for testing on a construction site in July,” says Jürgen Göckel, responsible for Business Development Microtunnelling at VMT. “And because the drive in Verden was scheduled to start in July, the timing was ideal.” Klatt agrees. “For us, it was a win-win situation,’ he


says. “We were able to use the enhanced capabilities of the new system compared to Joblight, and we could also contribute our own ideas and practical improvement suggestions during this development phase.” In the first tunnel, Joblight was kept as a backup for


TunnelHub for safety reasons. However, the test went so well that I.CO.P. used only the new system in the second tunnel.


COMPACT TECHNOLOGY – EASY HANDLING The functionalities of TunnelHub are based on the further-developed hardware platform MT.connect 2, which is also used by the navigation system. All data are transmitted via one single data line divided into 50m-long sections and each of these ‘Smart System Cables’ is equipped with a ‘Smart Unit’. The small ‘smart’ boxes not only form wi-fi access


points as the basis for communication, but cameras and other standardised industrial sensors can also be easily connected via plug-and-play. Integrated LED arrays can display scrolling text messages or show animated arrows pointing towards the exit – an important feature in emergency situations to guide personnel out of the tunnel quickly. Optionally, the Smart System Cables can be fitted with additional LED modules that provide general tunnel lighting and serve as an additional safety feature for emergency lighting. The system is controlled by a Main Control Unit


located outside the tunnel and houses the central computer and the router for a dedicated internet connection. A Control Unit installed in the launch shaft enables safe pipe changes or rapid power shut-off in emergency situations. “A major improvement of TunnelHub over its


predecessor is the simplified handling made possible by the new MT.connect 2 hardware platform,” says Göckel. “Simply connect the desired components and everything works immediately, without complex configuration.” Göckel sees another significant improvement in the


highly compact design of the technology – an opinion shared by Küsters, who says: “I can implement this system much better even in smaller drives.”


SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY IN THE TUNNEL One of the central functions of TunnelHub is the WLAN network covering the entire tunnel, allowing communication at any time with personnel underground using smartphones and standard apps, such as WhatsApp or Teams. “Everyone is reachable everywhere in the tunnel,


everyone can make external calls from anywhere in the tunnel,” says Göckel. Such standard apps also offer video calling. This


allows technicians underground to receive direct support from experts who may be located off-site, possibly even on another continent. The WLAN also enables accurate localisation of personnel within the tunnel by section, meaning the machine operator can always see how many people are in the tunnel and where they are located. In emergency situations, the system also offers


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The Control Unit in the launch shaft and, above it, a Smart Unit. The two connections for cameras and other sensors are visible.


PHOTO CREDIT: B_I/ZU EULENBURG


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